This is the second year in a row that a mixed-race woman has won the pageant. In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, who is African-American and Japanese, was crowned Miss Universe Japan.

Toru Yamanaka / AFP / Getty Images

In fact, Yoshikawa has openly said that Miyamoto was an inspiration for her to participate in the pageant. She said:

“Before Ariana, haafu girls couldn’t represent Japan,” Yoshikawa told AFP after winning the title in Tokyo on Monday night. “That’s what I thought too. I didn’t doubt it or challenge it until this day. Ariana encouraged me a lot by showing me and showing all mixed girls the way.”

“We are Japanese,” she said. “Yes I’m half Indian and people are asking me about my purity – yes my dad is Indian and I’m proud of it, I’m proud that I have Indian in me. But that does not mean I’m not Japanese.”

"Hāfu" is what people who are ethnically half-Japanese are called in the Japanese language.

Even the Indian Embassy in Japan congratulated Yoshikawa on her win with a tweet.

Since the debate around being mixed-race in Japan is murky, there were people who were unhappy with the result.

Translation: “I won’t say that we shouldn’t select a haafu, and she’s suitable for Japan to make an appeal that we don’t discriminate people. But I want them to select someone who’s seen as beautiful by everybody."

Translation: “There's news again about ‘haafu,’ a word only countryside Tokyo uses. Another mixed-race woman is selected for an international pageant contest. But her face is dirty. When a Japanese person is mixed, the face always becomes dirty. She’s a disappointment to the Asian race."

There were also those who were openly supporting her victory and dismissing the mixed-race debate.